1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of wearing apparel, and to the particular field of safety helmets.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many people enjoy riding a motorcycle. Motorcycles are used as a mode of transportation in urban areas and as a mode of recreation in other areas. Often motorcycles are ridden over rough and dirty terrain and in inclement weather conditions.
One problem with riding a motorcycle in inclement weather is the dirt and debris that strikes the rider during such riding. Heavy clothing can protect most of the rider""s body but his or her face is generally unprotected. While a windshield on some motorcycles offers some protection, this protection is often inadequate.
All motorcyclists should wear a helmet, and this is often required by law. Many of these helmets have face shields. While offering some protection to the rider""s face, these face shields often become dirty. If the face shield becomes too dirty for a clear view, the rider must clean the shield. This may require the rider to stop. Many riders do not wish to stop to clean a face shield. Therefore, such riders either continue riding with a face shield that is dirty or actually omit wearing a face shield. Not wearing a face shield removes the protection associated with a face shield.
Therefore, there is a need for a motorcycle helmet that has a face shield that can be efficiently cleaned.
Much motorcycle riding is done in clear conditions where a face shield will not become dirty. Under such conditions, it will not be necessary to clean the face shield and any equipment used to clean motorcycle face shields will be superfluous. Any extra equipment is often undesirable to a motorcyclist.
Therefore, there is a need for a motorcycle helmet that has equipment for efficiently cleaning a face shield and which can be omitted when it is not required.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a motorcycle helmet that has a face shield that can be efficiently cleaned.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a motorcycle helmet that has equipment for efficiently cleaning a face shield and that can be removed when it is not necessary to clean the face shield.
These, and other, objects are achieved by a motorcycle helmet which comprises a head covering portion which includes an ear covering portion; a visor element releasably mounted on the head covering portion and having a groove defined therein; a face shield mounted on the head covering portion; a face shield cleaning unit movably mounted on the visor and including a first cylindrical roller element having a proximal end slidably mounted on the visor adjacent to the groove, a distal end, a bore extending between the proximal end of the first cylindrical roller element and the distal end of the first cylindrical roller element, a plurality of holes defined through the first cylindrical roller element in a radial direction on the first cylindrical roller element, the holes of the plurality of holes of the first cylindrical roller element being in fluid connection with the bore of the first cylindrical roller element, a band of liquid adsorbent material wrapped around the cylindrical body of the first cylindrical roller element and covering the holes of the plurality of holes of the first cylindrical roller element and forming a wrapped first roller element, and a cover encasing the wrapped first roller element and being in sliding contact with the face shield, a second cylindrical roller element having a proximal end slidably mounted on the visor adjacent to the groove, a distal end, a bore extending between the proximal end of the second cylindrical roller element and the distal end of the second cylindrical roller element, a plurality of holes defined through the second cylindrical roller element in a radial direction on the second cylindrical roller element, the holes of the plurality of holes of the second cylindrical roller element being in fluid connection with the bore of the second cylindrical roller element, a band of liquid adsorbent material wrapped around the cylindrical body of the second cylindrical roller element and covering the holes of the plurality of holes of the second cylindrical roller element and forming a wrapped second roller element, and a cover encasing the wrapped second roller element and being in sliding contact with the face shield, and a connecting bar connecting the distal end of the first cylindrical roller element to the distal end of the second cylindrical roller element; and a radio unit on the ear portion of the head covering portion and including a volume control on the ear portion of the head covering portion.
The helmet thus has a face shield cleaning unit that can be attached to the helmet when a motorcycle rider anticipates an climate weather condition that may cause the face shield to become dirty. At other times, the visor can be removed and the equipment associated with face shield cleaning can be omitted and the helmet worn without the face shield cleaning equipment. Thus, the helmet can be worn in inclement weather or clear weather and the face shield will be clean in either situation with no superfluous equipment being required. The visor can also provide protection associated with visors.